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From GMM

Kimi Raikkonen has refused to confirm or deny rumours linking him to Red Bull for 2014, insisting even retirement remains an option.

In the wake of the 'Multi-21' saga, with some suspecting Mark Webber's place alongside Sebastian Vettel is now untenable, Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz said 2007 world champion Raikkonen is "cool, fast and always a candidate".

Raikkonen, 33, ran with Red Bull sponsorship in world rallying after leaving Ferrari a few years ago, returning to F1 with Lotus in 2012 and showing impressive form.

Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko echoed Mateschitz's comments about Raikkonen on Wednesday when he admitted the Finn "is someone who is on our list for next year".

But when asked if he has already turned his attention to the end of his current contract and 2014, Raikkonen insisted: "I have not."

"I could even retire. I don't have any contract - nothing - for next year. I am focusing on now," Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat newspaper.

Photo: WRi2

Well-connected paddock sources insist that Red Bull must at least be considering replacing Webber for 2014.

Raikkonen and German Vettel are good friends, which according to Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt could make a big difference, given the likely venom of the continuing Webber/Vettel relationship.

"Well," the respected journalist is quoted by Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, "Vettel and Webber's relationship will never be the same.

"Vettel has apologised, but really that was just for the public. Deep down, he knows the importance of those seven points. It is the difference between the champion and the normal racing driver. Champions think only of themselves."

Vettel's former trainer Tommi Parmakoski agrees: "The first thing is that everyone needs to follow their team boss. But on the other hand, knowing Sebastian as well as I do, he has this unbridled desire to win. It is the fundamental reason why he has won so much and endured the toughest pressures."

Price Range: $77,000 and up

Description: With 450 horsepower, a redline beyond 8,000 rpm and Quattro All-Wheel Drive (AWD) the RS5 might just be the highest-performing Audi with a back seat. Combining track-proven technologies and development from Audi's Renn Sport division along with the sophisticated luxury the brand is known for; the RS5 seeks to deliver comfortable travels and motorsport readiness for even the most discerning enthusiast.

A two-door, four-seat coupe, RS5 also packs a surprisingly spacious interior and road-trip ready trunk. On the road, larger wheels, extended side-sills, deeper bumpers with enlarged vents, and massive dual-exhaust outlets set the RS5 apart.


Drivetrain: the 2013 Audi RS5 comes powered just one way: by a high-strung, up-tuned version of Audi's sweet 4.2L V8 which makes 450 horsepower in this application. FSI technology bumps output and fuel efficiency, and visiting the stratospheric 8,000-plus rpm redline sees the powerplant emit a purely exotic howl.

All models get Quattro AWD for enhanced agility, traction and confidence on every surface, and a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission with paddle shifters. Fully automatic shifting is available, and Launch Control function is programmed into the gearbox for maximum acceleration from a standstill.

Consider it if: you're interested in supercar performance with an eye for all-season, all-weather use, and road-trip readiness. The 2013 Audi RS5 might be tuned for the track, but it's more than happy to cruise comfortably with a pair of adults or two on board. A drive-mode selector allows suspension, transmission, throttle and steering to be calibrated into more comfort-oriented settings when touring is the order of the day. A few button clicks recalibrates the RS5 for track use when desired.

Skip it if: you have a propensity towards collecting speeding tickets, or if you want a manual transmission since there isn't one available on the North American model.


Other Notes: Feature content includes premium audio systems, full multimedia connectivity, Bluetooth, navigation, a full driver computer, carbon-fibre trim and plenty more. A Titanium Package includes numerous cosmetic upgrades including body-coloured mirror caps, carbon accents and unique wheels to dial up exclusivity. A sports exhaust system can be specified as well, if drivers wish to make more noise.

Don't Miss: the 7-speed S-Tronic gearbox shifts. At full throttle, requesting an upshift form the right-side shift paddle results in a loud bark from the exhaust, an instant ramp-down of engine rpm for the next gear, and a delay-free continuation of acceleration -- all in mere milliseconds. This gearbox shifts, literally, in a blink.

A speed deployable rear spoiler adds unique stylistic flare and downforce when activated.

Available Audi Ceramic Brakes can be specified to put an innovative ceramic composite brake rotor and high-performance calipers to work for unbeatable durability, fade resistance and looks.

Torque Vectoring control, enabled by the new self-locking centre differential and sport rear differential, dynamically sends more power to the outer rear wheel in a corner to help “push” the 2013 Audi RS5's nose into the bend for even more precise handling.

Photo: Audi

How hard is it to be a five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion? Only Jimmie Johnson knows. The issue is that the California native appears to have as many anti-fans as he has fans. Or, at least, his “haters” jeer louder than the cheers.

After his victory in Martinsville last week he had a chance to read their comments. Here's an excerpt of an interview with SpeedTV's Bob Dillner where he explained how and why he responded.

Bob Dillner: As you said, you addressed some of those ‘haters' after the race. Your quote was, ‘You haters have it right. I'm a bad teammate. I have a cheated up car. I'm lucky and the race was fixed. Gotta love Twitter and NASCAR fans.' To me, I was surprised because that's not like Jimmie, from what I see on Twitter. What brought that on?

Jimmie Johnson: Well, just reading the stuff over the course of the day. I had a lot of really good laughs about it, and I ignored it all for a while. And then I thought it would be fun to play into this theme that was on Twitter, that there was no way I'm good enough to win there eight times on my own. There's no way that a good team and driver can win the race, it had to be a cheated-up car. I'm a bad teammate and all of this stuff. I was like, the heck with it, I'll just play into it and here you go.

Photo: NASCAR

Dillner: Junior Nation. You never know what's going to come out of their mouths on Twitter. Obviously, they thought you should have let (Dale Earnhardt) Jr. in. Explain that situation.
Johnson: Looking back on it now, sure, it would be easy at the time to do it. The caution comes out half way down the backstretch. I'm worried about getting the car stopped. I hear there's a car in the wall - no number. Then a car pulls off the wall, and is now blocking the road. I pull up. I see it's the 88. Car is tore up and there are flat tires, and he backs up. Okay, thank you. I drive on through and didn't think anything about it. D.W. (Darrell Waltrip) was nice enough to point it out on television as well, and then, here I am with an inbox full of hate mail at the end of the race. People are going to see it however they want. At the end of the day, (Crew Chief) Steve Letarte and Dale Jr. contacted me at the end of the day because they had heard that there was some uproar over it, and they were like, ‘Dude, seriously, you did nothing wrong.' So as long as those two are happy, I'm good.

Dillner: There are some people that don't know you, say that Jimmie Johnson is vanilla. Jimmie Johnson is boring. So you think your calm, cool and collected demeanor is misinterpreted?
Johnson: It could be, but I mean, there was a point in time where I cared what people thought. I was worried about it. I can't live my life that way. The people that know me, know who I am and what I am about. That's all that really matters to me. If I live my life trying to make everybody happy, not living for myself, I would be a fool. There are some really important things to worry about, than if someone thinks I'm vanilla.

A total of 3.4 million Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota vehicles across the globe are being recalled due to a problem with the passenger's side front airbag, manufactured by Takata Corp.

Apparently, the airbag may deploy with excessive force and rip apart, potentially resulting in injuries to the front passenger. While one such case has been recorded by Honda, no related death or injury has ever been reported.

In Canada, the recall covers almost 81,000 Honda Civic and 11,000 Acura 1.7 EL sedans from the 2001-2003 model years, 6,140 CR-V vehicles from 2002-2003, and nearly 10,000 Odyssey minivans from the 2002 model year. Honda Canada encourages owners to take their vehicles to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive a recall notification, which will be mailed out starting in late May.

At Toyota, 580,000 yet-to-be-identified vehicles are affected in North America. In Europe and Japan, they include the Corolla, Tundra, and Lexus SC produced between November 2000 and March 2004.

Nissan and Mazda are recalling 480,000 and 45,000 vehicles worldwide, respectively, without providing any more details.

Source: Reuters

Photo: Acura

Maserati has released the first official images of its all-new Ghibli sports sedan that will debut at Auto Shanghai 2013 later this month.

Boasting a sportier character than the larger and newly introduced Quattroporte, the Ghibli will be available with two 3.0L turbocharged V6 engines, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and both rear-wheel drive and the new “Q4” all-wheel drive system. In fact, it will become the first production Maserati to be powered by a diesel engine.

The Ghibli will play a significant role in the company's growth plan to sell 50,000 cars per year.

Photo: Maserati

Photo: Maserati

Price Range: $48,600 and up

Description: Turbocharged power, all-wheel drive performance and one of the most striking looks on the road define Audi's TT Coupe model range. Priced from $48,600 for a standard TT, $57,900 for a high-performance TTS Coupe and $67,600 for the race-track-decimating TT RS Coupe, there's a model that's just right for virtually any need or budget.

All 2013 Audi TT models get two doors, four seats, and four-wheel drive thanks to Audi's traction-mastering Quattro technology.


Drivetrain: The TT powertrain lineup goes thusly: standard models are fitted with a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine featuring direct injection technology for 211 horsepower and a meaty 258 lb-ft of torque. A 6-speed S-Tronic dual-clutch gearbox is standard, maximizing performance with minimized drivetrain friction loss and millisecond gear change speeds with full throttle blipping.

Bumping it up a notch, the 2013 Audi TTS receives a special variant of the 2.0L engine that's tweaked by Audi's engineers to deliver 265 horsepower. Drivers can expect 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds.

Adding an extra cylinder and even more boost, the track-validated 2013 Audi TT RS dials in 360 horsepower and 343 lb-ft of torque for massive, on-demand acceleration, and low-end grunt. Available solely with a 6-speed manual transmission, the TT RS is geared towards the hardcore driving enthusiast who demands total control at all times.

Consider it if: stand-out style, motorsports readiness and year-round performance are priorities in your next ride. Fuel efficiency is surprisingly good as well thanks to numerous features like direct injection and lightweight aluminum body structures across the 2013 Audi TT Coupe lineup,

Skip it if: you're after all-out firepower for your cash, as there are more powerful, faster cars available for the money.

Other Notes: A full suite of safety and connectivity features is on board the 2013 Audi TT Coupe including protective gear like advanced airbags and a crash-optimized body structure, as well as voice-commanded features like a Bluetooth phone interface to help minimize distraction on the go.

Depending on the model and features selected, a bi-xenon headlight system with adaptive functionality and headlight washers ensures optimal visibility at all times, regardless of weather.

Don't Miss: The audio package. Teaming up with Bose, Audi offers a 10-speaker up-level audio system with premium components. An S-Line package is available on the 2013 Audi TT, adding Nappa leather sports seats, special exterior upgrades, unique badges, and more.

Audi Magnetic Ride technology lets drivers set their TT's suspension to one of two modes at the touch of a button. The “Normal” mode prioritizes an all-around balance of handling and comfort for touring and general driving. The “Sport” mode offers higher damping rates to help keep the 2013 Audi TT's body sprung more tightly against its wheels for suppressed body roll and more precise cornering.

The 2013 Audi TT RS gets a distinctive carbon-fibre engine cover, cross-drilled front brakes, and massive dual exhausts, as well as a large fixed spoiler to communicate its high-performance intentions visually.

Photo: Audi

McLaren Formula 1 team has signed a marketing partnership with Gillette that will kick off at this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

The McLaren press release says: “The partnership will reinforce both brands' quest for the most superior technology, design and performance in their respective fields. Activation throughout 2013 will include dedicated television spots, an innovative digital campaign and in-store events throughout Asia to highlight and promote the partnership”.

Gillette, through its South American branch, was a personal sponsor of Bruno Senna when the Brazilian raced in Formula 1.

Photo: McLaren

AddÉnergie, a Quebec City-based company, has been chosen to install 100 new 240V charging stations along the Electric Circuit, increasing the total number of stations to 250 by next year.

“We're glad to contribute to the success of the Electric Circuit, which represents a golden opportunity for our rapidly expanding company,” said Louis Tremblay, president of AddÉnergie. “It's an excellent news for all EV drivers, who will benefit from a quality charging infrastructure to power their cars with local energy.”

Users of the Electric Circuit will be able to stop at any charging station, both current and future, since AddÉnergie is working with AeroVironment to make the first 150 stations compatible.

Back in February, AddÉnergie was selected to provide its electric charging solution throughout British Columbia's entire Okanagan Valley.

From GMM

Shanghai has been on F1's annual calendar since 2004, but so far the pinnacle of motor sport has not made the expected impact on the crucial Chinese market.

"I'm worried about China," McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh admitted to AP news agency. "The potential is huge, the importance is massive and we must make it successful there."

Whitmarsh thinks that, collectively, the sport has not done enough to promote itself in China, the most populous country on earth with arguably the most important economy.

"We need to work a little harder. We as a sport are a little bit arrogant. 'We're formula one. We arrive and people will want to come to see us.' But China doesn't need us," Whitmarsh insisted.

A Chinese hero would help. Caterham already has Ma Qing Hua - a Shanghai local - on its reserve driver roster in 2013, and on Friday he will contest the morning practice session.

"For me, we just need some time to let people understand this sport," Ma said. "At the moment, formula one is already a top five sport in China. It's quite big and growing very fast."

Start of the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix. (Photo: WRi2)

From GMM

The worst thing about Pirelli's approach to 2013 is the teams' new tendency to impose team orders.

That is the view of Olivier Panis, the former grand prix winner who now mentors French countryman and Caterham driver Charles Pic.

'Tires' has been arguably the loudest buzzword of the 2013 championship so far, with control supplier Pirelli taking a more extreme approach to degradation.

Panis, 46, admits he can see why some teams and drivers are frustrated.

Photo: Mercedes AMG F1 Team

"It's very difficult to find yourself in a situation where you have a good balance, good grip and then you find yourself three seconds slower within a few laps," the former Toyota driver told France's Sports.fr.

"On the other hand, it was probably only what Pirelli was asked to do. More or less they were required to do it for the show, so it's difficult to blame them."

The result, at least for now, is that drivers are racing around trying to make their tires last, rather than pushing for the final tenth of a second.

"I do think that everything will be better managed by the teams after four, five grands prix. What I don't like seeing now is the sort of thing that happened in Malaysia. You don't want to see teams asking their drivers to slow down just so they can finish the race," Olivier Panis added.

Photo: WRi2

From GMM

A week before F1's most controversial annual race, Damon Hill has expressed concerns about the latest reports coming from Bahrain.

The island Kingdom's government has denied reports it has in recent days been detaining potential protesters of the Bahrain grand prix in arbitrary house-to-house raids.

1996 world champion Hill, a regular and rare outspoken voice from the F1 paddock on the issue of Bahrain's civil situation, admitted the latest reports are a concern.

"The vast majority of people in the sport would like to say 'We don't want to come here to make life worse for people'. 'We would like you to enjoy formula one'," the pundit for British television Sky is quoted by the Guardian newspaper.

"I would not want to go to Bahrain if people are going to be treated extra bad just so a race can go ahead. What we don't want to have is F1 being responsible for making life worse for people," insisted Hill.

Start of the 2012 Bahrain Grand Prix. (Photo: WRi2)

He suggested FIA president Jean Todt's low-profile and non-confrontational style is not helpful on an issue like Bahrain.

"Jean Todt's approach has been to say nothing, because otherwise you're being critical, and I think that is a mistake," he said. "He's not said anything that has distanced the sport from things that it would find distasteful and upsetting, which I believe everyone in the sport would like to do."

Utilitarian utopia
We've all heard of the acronym K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) -- heck, I refer to it every day when I write -- but it's not often such a “rule” crosses over into the automotive realm. The more the merrier seems to be very carmaker's motto these days, as they load their vehicles with gadgets and hi-tech bits galore and trick out the exterior with endless design elements.

Well, such is not the case with the 2013 Honda Pilot. And I'm so grateful that's the case. This is a plain and simple vehicle, and that's fine. It does the job perfectly as is, without all the bells and whistles, without the hoopla and fanfare. It just is; and that's just grand.


What is the Honda Pilot?
First released in 2002 as a '03 model, the Honda Pilot was brought into Honda's lineup as an answer to the growing demands for larger family-friendly vehicles that offered seating for 8 people.

Large and in charge, the Honda Pilot was built with a purpose: to be practical and move people and goods, and that's precisely what it does. While it's only seen real changes once over the past decade, that's not necessarily a bad thing either; the Honda Pilot owner knows what he likes and he wants to keep it that way.

Technicalities
Across the board (read: all five models available) the 2013 Honda Pilot sports the same powertrain, a 3.5L i-VTEC V6 that's good for 250 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque, which is then coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission. And, yes, that's the same engine the Pilot sported when it first showed up to play the game. While it might seem dated, it still very much does the job. Available in 2WD or 4WD, the Pilot's five trims offer something for everyone and in a wide price range.

As far as pricing goes, the 2013 Honda Pilot starts in the mid-$30k range (LX 2WD) and can travel all the way up to the $50k mark for the top-of-the-line Touring model (which was my tester for the week). Changes across models are purely cosmetic (and 2WD vs 4WD) as the engine and transmission remains the same for all.

Across the board (read: all five models available) the 2013 Honda Pilot sports the same powertrain, a 3.5L i-VTEC V6 that's good for 250 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque, which is then coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Driving the Honda Pilot
Piloting the Pilot (how clever am I?) is great. Sure, it's a larger vehicle, but there's something about a Honda that makes them great cars to drive, no matter what. From the Fit to the Ridgeline, they all offer a great time behind the wheel. The 2013 Honda Pilot is no exception.

While the steering did feel a bit disconnected at times, I still felt like the Pilot was ready and willing to do as I requested and go where I wanted.

Despite its size and near 2,091kg (4,600lb) weight, the Pilot feels light on its feet, and the 3.5L V6 performs when asked to. Whether accelerating to pass on the highway or simply cruising at leisurely speeds, the Pilot takes it all in stride -- and can take seven of your closest friends along for the ride, too.

With Honda's Variable Torque Management 4-wheel drive system (VTM-4) available on four of five models, the 2013 Honda Pilot has the capability to be the ideal cottage-country hauler as well as a city dweller from Monday-Friday.

Despite its size and near 2,091kg (4,600lb) weight, the Pilot feels light on its feet, and the 3.5L V6 performs when asked to. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Ins and Outs of the Honda Pilot
Inside and out, the Honda Pilot has seen very few changes over the last few years. The 2013 Honda Pilot sees a bit of a front fascia update with a beefier bumper, and inside now sports Honda's i-MID entertainment system, but that's about it.

Hard plastics abound in the Honda Pilot, and that's a nod towards its utilitarian nature (easy to clean, easy to maintain). Seats are comfortable in all rows, even all the way in the third row where I sat with another, much taller, colleague. We both had plenty of headroom (not so much legroom for him), but we would not have been comfortable with a third squeezed between us.

As is the case with any good Honda, the storage compartments are endless no matter where you are in the vehicle, and with both rows down the 2013 Honda Pilot offers up 2,464 litres of space for all your goodies. A 60/40 split for both the second and third rows also means piling in snowboards and friends for a winter weekend getaway is also possible.

Seats are comfortable in all rows, even all the way in the third row where I sat with another, much taller, colleague. (Photo: Sébastien D'Amour)

Comparing the Honda Pilot
When it comes to the 2013 Honda Pilot's competitors, they all pretty much do the same things and do them well. However, where the Honda falls behind is in its lack of renewal. The Ford Explorer is recently redesigned and looks fantastic, and even the Chevrolet Traverse sports an updated look and feel when compared to the Pilot.

After he set the fastest time on Tuesday, Marco Wittmann (BMW) emerged quickest again in the second day of DTM collective testing at Hockenheim.

The German, who will make his DTM debuts next month after having been the BMW test driver in 2012, completed 134 laps on Wednesday, with a best lap time in 1m33''227. He leads Miguel Molina's Audi A5 (1m33''242) and Martin Tomczyk's BMW M3 (1m33''524).

The first Mercedes driver was Daniel Juncadella, who was 8th fastest aboard his C-Coupé (1m34''284). Eleven drivers took part to this test day. The collective testing will resume Thursday and Friday.

Marco Wittmann, BMW M3. (Photo: DTM)

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk says he would consider locating a second automotive assembly plant in Texas.

Hybrids, diesels and full-electric vehicles have no trouble grabbing headlines, but sales figures suggest that Americans are -- for now -- hesitant to adopt alternatives to conventional gasoline-powered internal combustion.

Ford Motor Co., which wants the federal government to align U.S. vehicle standards with those of the European Union, has enlisted a longtime ally in its campaign: U.S. Rep.

More than 260,000 vehicles will be impacted by the six recalls Chrysler announced Tuesday. None are particularly serious, but if you own a Chrysler product we've summarized the list below.

Filling your tank will cost slightly less this summer according to new estimates released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Texas dealers are unjustly trying to prevent Tesla Motors from competing in their state, company founder and CEO Elon Musk told state lawmakers late Tuesday.

2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Nearing the End

Back on the road (trip) again.

As we neared the end of our year with the CX-5, associate web editor Evan McCausland took the sky-blue crossover on one last big road trip -- a weekend drive to Nashville via the Kentucky bourbon trail. It was a timely trip because, compared with our other Four Seasons vehicles, the CX-5 was a little short on miles.

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - March 2013 - Automobile Magazine

Photo Gallery: 2013 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring - Four Seasons Update - March 2013 - Automobile Magazine

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